The Rise of American Hockey

Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, a U.S.-born player, is in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

If the Chicago Blackhawks hoist the Stanley Cup in Boston Monday night, it could turn out to be another big win for American hockey.

There is no dispute that Canada remains the world’s premier hockey-playing nation, but the U.S. continues to elbow its way into the spotlight. One of the leading candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the finals is Patrick Kane, a 24-year old native of Buffalo, N.Y.

Kane had both goals in Chicago’s 3-1 Game 5 victory Wednesday. Another standout performance and the Smythe might be his. If that comes to pass, it would be the third time in a row an American has emerged as the star of the Stanley Cup final.

Last year, Jonathan Quick, the goalie for the Los Angeles Kings and a product of Milford, Conn., was named MVP. The year before it was Tim Thomas, of Flint, Mich., who led the Bruins to the Cup. The only other American-born player to win the Conn Smythe was the New York Rangers’ Brian Leetch in 1994.

Whether Kane is chosen MVP or not, his starring role in the Stanley Cup Final is just the latest sign the U.S. is a rising power in the global hockey scene, often at the expense of its northern neighbor.

In January, the American team of players under the age of 20 won gold at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s world junior tournament, wiping out Canada, 5-1, in the semifinals and defeating Sweden, 3-1, for the title. If only to rub it in Canada’s face, it’s also worth noting that in April the U.S. women’s team was crowned world champs for 2013, beating Canada, the host nation, 3-2.

Canada still produces the majority of NHL players. This season, 488 of the players on NHL rosters, or 53%, were Canadians. The U.S. was the second-largest source, providing 216 players, or 23.5%. A generation ago, only a handful of Americans made it to the NHL.

Kane’s rise as one of the game’s elite players is reflective of a nearly two-decade effort by USA Hockey, the sport’s governing body in this country, to join Canada, Russia and Sweden at the top of the sport. In 1996, USA Hockey formed development teams for top 18- and 17-year old players, hoping to groom premier talent to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., the teams play against college and junior-league teams made up of older players and compete in tournaments overseas.

More than 60 graduates of the National Team Development Program suited up in the NHL this year, including some of the league top talents, including Zach Parise, Ryan Whitney, Jimmy Howard, Ryan Kessler, Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk.

Kane played for the NTDP in 2004-05 and 2005-06. In Ann Arbor, he racked up 52 goals and 50 assists in just 58 games during his second season and was selected as the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft. A year later he was the NHL’s rookie of the year, and in 2010 he won the Cup with Chicago, scoring the clinching goal in overtime in Game 6. Now he and American hockey are a step away from another milestone.

Comments (4 of 4)

Chuck the Puck - thanks for the correction on the score. Fan - yes, Kane spent a year in the OHL before moving to the Hawks. And CanAm - Seth Jones is yet another product of the NTDP. I know his game well, saw him play in Ann Arbor many times. His younger brother Caleb will be in the program this fall.

Neal

6:03 pm June 24, 2013

CanAm wrote:

The top prospect in this year's draft is Seth Jones - son of Popeye Jones and native of Arlington, Texas.

6:02 pm June 24, 2013

A Fan wrote:

Kane was drafted into the NHL from London Jr in the OHL

5:04 pm June 24, 2013

Chuck the Puck wrote:

The score was actually 3-1, with Kane scoring the first 2 goals, while the 3rd was an empty netter in the final minute. This is thew type of coversge hockey fans get after an endless stream of patter about Lebron, the NBA finals, golf, etc.?. Enjoy all sports, but there is nothing, repeat- nothing, like the exictement of a Stanley Cup finals game!

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